Trump’s Executive Orders Spark Republican Push for Legislation

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In his first week back in the White House, President Donald Trump has made waves with a series of executive orders that have reignited the debate over the power of the presidency and the future of key policies. Trump signed a remarkable 26 executive orders on his Inauguration Day, a significant step in reversing many policies from the Biden administration. This move has been met with praise from Republican lawmakers, who are now scrambling to turn Trump’s actions into permanent law, fearing that a future Democratic administration could quickly undo his accomplishments.

 

Trump’s actions have included rolling back 78 of President Biden’s executive orders, strengthening border security, ramping up domestic energy production, and establishing the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He also took aim at birthright citizenship and enacted measures to make it easier to fire government workers, among other changes. Republicans are particularly focused on ensuring that Trump’s efforts to bolster border security, ramp up energy production, and reduce government regulations are codified into law to prevent future reversals.

 

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told The Post that Trump’s executive orders were just the beginning of what he called “our legislative agenda,” as Republicans aim to solidify these measures into law. Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) expressed concern that if these actions aren’t enshrined in legislation, a future Democratic president could reverse them. “If we don’t codify it [and] the next president, God forbid, is a Democrat, [they] will reverse everything he did,” McCormick said.

 

Key among the orders that Republicans are eager to codify is the push for deregulation, which Trump advocates as a way to stimulate economic growth. Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Col.) pointed to the repeal of the electric vehicle mandate, a non-binding initiative from Biden’s administration that aimed for electric vehicles to make up 50% of new car sales by 2030. Trump reversed this initiative on his first day, and Republicans are determined to prevent any potential Democratic successor from resurrecting it.

 

One of Trump’s most notable reversals is the reintroduction of the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their claims are processed in the U.S. This policy had been abandoned by the Biden administration in 2022 following legal challenges, but Trump’s executive order brings it back into play. Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC) emphasized that while Biden could undo Trump’s actions, Trump’s efforts would put pressure on the Mexican government to cooperate with U.S. immigration policies. Rep. Michael Rulli (R-Ohio) agreed, suggesting that passing laws would provide diplomatic cover for Mexico’s leadership to collaborate more closely with the U.S.

 

Despite the enthusiasm among Republicans, there are significant challenges ahead. Republicans hold a narrow majority in the House, with just 218 seats to the Democrats’ 215. This margin is expected to shrink further to 217 once a special election fills a vacancy. With such a slim margin, Republicans cannot afford any defections to pass legislation. In the Senate, the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster makes it difficult to push significant legislation through.  

 

As Trump continues to make bold moves in the White House, it’s clear that his executive orders are not just shaping his administration’s immediate priorities but also sparking a broader effort by Republicans to ensure that these policies have lasting impacts. On the campaign trail, Trump humorously quipped that he would not be a dictator “other than day one,” a comment that reflects his penchant for sweeping, immediate action. Yet, his critics remain wary of the long-term implications of such a rapid and unilateral approach to governance.  

 

Trump’s return to the White House marks the beginning of what is shaping up to be a contentious legislative battle as Republicans seek to enshrine his executive orders into law, setting the stage for the future direction of the country’s policies.

 

Based on a report by NYP 2025-01-23